Judges 13
13
The Birth of Samson, a Champion-Deliverer
1Once again, the Israelites continued doing evil in the sight of Yahweh, so he subjected them to Philistine # 13:1 The word for “philistine” can be translated as “rolling,” “migratory,” “wallowing in the dust,” “wandering,” “deviating off course,” or “rejected.” The Philistines are mentioned thirty-four times in the book of Judges. The Philistines were Israel’s constant foe until David defeated them. In the days of Samson, the Israelites had been content to have them as neighbors in the land. rule for forty years.
2There was a certain man from the tribe of Dan, who lived in the city of Zorah, # 13:2 Zorah means “hornet’s nest.” The birth of a champion-deliverer will always stir up a hornet’s nest. named Manoah. # 13:2 Manoah means “rest” or “restoring.” His wife was barren and childless, 3but the Angel of Yahweh appeared to her and said, “Look here! You are no longer barren and childless, for you will conceive and give birth to a son. 4Now be careful not to drink any wine or beer and to eat nothing considered unclean. 5You will conceive and will give birth to a son. Raise the boy as one dedicated to God # 13:5 Or “he will be God’s Nazarite.” A Nazarite was a special class of Jewish men who were dedicated to God. They were forbidden to cut their hair, drink alcohol, or touch any dead thing. The word “Nazarite” is taken from the Hebrew word nazar, which means “dedicated to God,” “set apart,” “consecrated [as a prince],” or “an unpruned branch.” See Num. 6. from the womb and never cut his hair. He will begin to deliver Israel from Philistine power.”
6So Manoah’s wife went to her husband and said, “A man sent from God came to me! He looked like an angel of God—incredibly awesome. # 13:6 Or “very frightening.” I didn’t ask where he came from, and he didn’t tell me his name, 7but he told me, ‘You will become pregnant, and you will have a son. Make sure you don’t drink any wine or beer, and eat nothing unclean, for the boy will be fully devoted to God from the womb to the day he dies!’ ”
8Manoah pleaded with Yahweh, “O my Lord, please send the man of God back to us. Have him come to instruct us how to raise the son who is to be born.”
9God answered Manoah’s prayer and sent the Angel of God to the woman again while she was sitting alone in the field. Her husband Manoah was not with her 10so she ran at once to tell him the news: “Look! Come quickly! He reappeared—the same man who came to me that day!” 11So Manoah got up, followed his wife, and went to the man. Manoah said to him, “Are you the man who appeared and spoke to my wife?”
“I am,” he said.
12Manoah replied, “Well, when Yahweh fulfills your prophecy, how should we raise the boy, and what is his life mission?”
13The Angel of Yahweh answered, “Do everything that I instructed your wife. 14She must abstain from anything that comes from the grapevine and drink no alcohol, nor should she eat anything unclean. She must do all that I have commanded her.”
15Manoah said to the Angel of Yahweh, “Please stay here until we cook a young goat for you.”
16The Angel of Yahweh said to Manoah, “Even if you detain me, I will not eat your food. But if you want to prepare a burnt offering, offer it up to Yahweh.” Manoah did not realize that he was speaking with the Angel of Yahweh.
17Stunned, Manoah asked the Angel of Yahweh. “What is your name? When Yahweh fulfills your prophecy, we want to honor you!”
18The Angel of Yahweh replied, “Why ask for my name? It is ‘Wonderfully Hidden!’ ” # 13:18 The Angel of Yahweh was God in a human form. His name can be translated “wonderful,” “incomprehensible,” “unknowable,” “beyond understanding,” or “transcendent.” 19So Manoah prepared the young goat and his grain offering and took them to the rock to offer them up to Yahweh, the wonder-working God. While Manoah and his wife watched, 20flames burst from the rock and ascended upward to heaven from the altar. The Angel of Yahweh, wrapped in the flames of fire, ascended into the sky. # 13:20 There is at least a hint here of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross (burnt offering), his resurrection (grain offering), and ascension into heaven. Dazed, Manoah and his wife fell facedown to the ground in worship. 21-23Only then did Manoah realize that he had met the Angel of Yahweh! He turned to his wife and said, “We’re as good as dead! God has just visited us!”
But his wife said, “If Yahweh had planned to kill us, he wouldn’t have accepted our burnt offering and our grain offering. He wouldn’t have revealed all these things to us or have spoken to us as he did just now.” And Manoah and his wife never encountered Yahweh’s Angel again. 24Manoah’s wife gave birth to a son, and she named him Samson. # 13:24 Samson means “sunbeam,” “little sun,” “sunny,” or, if adjectival, “solar.” He was the twelfth champion-deliverer. Samson is mentioned thirty-eight times in the Bible, including in Heb. 11:32 where he is noted for his faith. The boy grew up with Yahweh’s blessing on his life. # 13:24 Compare 1 Sam. 2:26; Luke 2:52. 25The Spirit of Yahweh began to stir his heart # 13:25 The Hebrew is literally “to strike as a bell.” God’s Spirit moved on Samson powerfully and empowered him. while he was between Zorah and Eshtaol, # 13:25 Eshtaol means “a narrow pass.” God’s Spirit first gripped Samson when he was between a “hornet’s nest” (Zorah) and a “narrow pass” (Eshtaol). We would say that he was between a rock and a hard place. in the Camp of Dan. # 13:25 Or “Mahaneh Dan.” This is possibly the place the tribe of Dan camped on their way to take Laish. See 18:11–12.
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Judges 13: TPT
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